The Dead Villainess Had A Child With The Male Lead

Chapter 59 Festivals

The coronation festivities were scheduled to last 10 days. Three days before the coronation would be the Eve Festival, and seven days after the coronation would be the Special Grand Festival.

Today was the first day of the Eve Festival, and Jediel, who had been looking forward to it for days, had risen early in the morning without anyone waking him, washing his face, combing his hair, and getting dressed.

Veronia’s condition was the opposite: she felt heavy and had no appetite. Luisa and Hugo were worried when they saw her face, which looked a little puffy.

“If Mum’s sick, we don’t have to go to the festival. I think it’s better if mom just stays home and rests.”

Jediel said with a sheepish expression, and Veronia shook her head and smiled.

“It’s times like this that I need to get out and play and have fun to cheer myself up, so of course I’ll go to the festival.”

“Then… I guess I’ll have to go.”

A small smile twitches at the corners of her mouth, but it disappears just as quickly. She wanted to smile broadly, but she held it back.

‘You’re so perceptive at times like this. Alas, I can’t make a child see through…’

Veronia felt sorry for Jediel, as if she was preventing him from enjoying himself.

‘I see. Let’s put yesterday in yesterday and never look back. Let’s forget about it! And today, let’s just focus on living today. We’ll laugh with Jediel!’

With that resolve, Veronia spread a thick layer of cream cheese on her bagel and took a big bite. 

Nothing like carbohydrates to give you a quick boost of energy. She worked her jaw hard. The combination of the savory bread and rich cheese was unbelievable.

“Your bagel is so good today, Grandma. And the cream cheese!”

Veronia’s cheerful voice lifted Luisa’s frown, which had been on her face the entire time.

“There’s more, so eat up.”

“Yes.”

Veronia laughed, and Jediel followed suit. And then they started talking about what happened yesterday at kindergarten.

After eating, Veronia and Jediel were ready to leave the house. The front door opened with a knock and Onyx walked in. Veronia looked up in surprise at the sudden appearance of Onyx.

“What are you doing here, Onyx?”

“I called for him.”

It was Hugo who answered Veronia’s question.

He’d been worried about her lately, given her lack of energy, and thought it would be difficult for her to navigate the festival alone with young Jediel.

That didn’t mean Luisa and Hugo, both suffering from arthritis, would be able to make it, so they called Onyx. Luckily, Hugo’s request to accompany him was met with a quick yes.

So Veronia and Jediel traveled with Onyx to the capital for the festival. As soon as they were in the carriage, Veronia turned to Onyx and said.

“Thank you, Onyx. My grandfather didn’t ask for this.”

Onyx looked at her apologetically and said in a stern voice.

“You can buy me a meal if you want to thank me.”

“Yes. I’ll buy you something nice, even two meals.”

“Oh, two meals! That’s great! My got quite a mouth after all. I look forward to it.”

Veronia smiled faintly at his playfulness. It was a faint little smile, but seeing her smile seemed to lighten Onyx’s mood.

***

Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze as the festival was in full swing, hanging from every alleyway and corner of Central Street. Everywhere the eye looked, everywhere the foot went, there were people.

“Jediel, don’t let go of Mum’s hand. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mum. I’ll hold on.”

Jediel nodded vigorously at Veronia’s instructions.

“Do you want Mister to quench your thirst?”

“Yes! I’d love that!”

Jediel’s eyes doubled in size and he grinned widely. But Veronia narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

“No! You’re making it too hard for him, and don’t make it harder for Onyx.”

Her scolding fell on deaf ears as she turned to the two of them.

“It’s just for today, so what’s the big deal?”

“Yay! I’m excited!”

Onyx giggled, and Jediel bounced with delight. Onyx immediately scooped him up and placed him on his shoulder.

“Wow, there’s nothing I can’t see now, I can see everything!”

“Jediel, do you like it?”

“Yes! Very, very good, Mr. Onyx, you’re the best!”

The child exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

Jediel’s head swiveled this way and that as his vision widened, taking in every corner. There were many shops, and even more street vendors. 

The shops were offering special discounts, and the vendors had a collection of cheap and unusual products to attract attention.

People-watching was as much fun as looking at the food and toys.

“Wow, that person is gorgeous! Wow, that dress is sparkly!”

Normally, nobles and commoners don’t mix due to their different life radii, but during the festival, they melted into each other. A series of “Oh!” and “Ah!” erupted from Jediel’s mouth as he marveled at the gorgeous clothes and jewelry worn by the nobles.

“Can they be that good?

Veronia, whose mouth had been clamped shut the entire time out of apology for Onyx and concern for Jediel, smirked in amusement at Jediel’s excitement.

Her and Onyx’s gazes met for a moment, and they exchanged an affectionate glance. ‘Thank you,’ Veronia said with her mouth, and Onyx said with her eyes, ‘Well, that’s about it.’

A hand brushed Onyx’s cheek, and Jediel exclaimed in surprise.

“What? Mr. Onyx, your face is warm!”

“That can’t be!”

“… It is.”

Onyx’s face heated up even more, embarrassed by Jediel’s honest assessment, and his heart began to pound for no reason.

Much to Onyx’s relief, Jediel’s attention quickly shifted away from her cheeks. Jediel pointed a finger at one and raised his voice.

“Can I have some cotton candy?”

“Yes, let’s go!”

“After all, cotton candy is for festivals.”

Both Veronia and Onyx nodded at Jediel’s suggestion and headed straight for the cotton candy vendor.

Veronia’s steps were light, but her thoughts were not. The mention of cotton candy brought back memories.

Memories of eating cotton candy with Killion all those years ago. After the play, she’d been in tears, and he’d handed her some cotton candy. She think he also told her that she should eat something sweet when she was crying.

‘That cotton candy was very sweet,’ she recalls.

It’s one of those memories that still sticks with her. It’s also one of the few good memories she have.

She was reminiscing about something that happened five years ago when another memory popped up. It was yesterday’s memory.

‘I didn’t make a mistake. It was the purest, most sincere kiss, without a trace of falsehood.’

His voice, slightly trembling at the end, echoed vividly in her ears. She tried so hard not to think about it, to forget it, but her brain wouldn’t listen. She shook her head to clear the memories she wanted to forget.

‘Maybe I… been drawn to you, Nia, from the moment I first saw you.’

But once the memory popped up, it stuck with her, tail between her legs.

The temperature and humidity, the sunset sky and the sound of running water in the fountain replayed in her head.

“Haah…”

She let out a tired sigh. Memories she no longer wished to remember continued to haunt Veronia.

The words of confession from Killion’s mouth had been the sweetest thing in the world, but also the most avoidable of all things.

‘I risked everything to escape, and I can’t go back to that world, not ever.’

The sugar level of her memories rose higher and higher until, at a certain point, her head, which had been throbbing, became crystal clear.

“Mum?”

It was then. Jediel asked, looking at Veronia with concern.

“Mum, don’t you like cotton candy?”

“Huh?”

Veronia’s brow must have been furrowed in concentration as she thought of Killion, and Jediel caught the look.

She felt sorry for the child who kept looking at her. Veronia lifted the corners of her mouth and spoke in a cheerful voice.

“You can’t be serious! Mum loves cotton candy!”

“I’m glad.”

Jediel smiled, relieved to see Veronia’s smile.

But Onyx was different, and his eyes saw through Veronia’s smile as she tried to reassure Jediel.

‘Hugo’s been worried about you lately, you seem to have lost your energy, and it’s still there today. Killion, is it him?’

A cold glint flickered in Onyx’s eyes, but Veronia, unaware of his thoughts, was lost in her own thoughts again.

‘I have no other choice, my past life is already fading away, but don’t forget that I will always be a fugitive. So it’s only right that I cut off Killion as well. Don’t even think about it.’

Veronia clenched her molars tightly together and steeled her resolve.

Just then, she heard the thick voice of the cotton candy vendor.

“Oh, I’m sorry, little one. We’re all out of cotton candy. Just wait a minute. I’ll make you some right now.”

“Wow, that’s great! It’s fun to watch you make cotton candy!”

Before they knew it, Jediel was down from Onyx’s shoulders and standing in front of the stall, bouncing around. He was bouncing like a bouncing ball today.

‘He loves it. I’ll have to bring him here more often.’

Raising a precious child with love, and being grateful to be able to watch him grow up healthy and bright, was enough for her.

To want more than that is greed, and greed makes you sick.

‘So let’s erase Killion. Let’s not see him anymore. Out of sight, out of mind, yes, that’s the way to go!’

Veronia continued to work out her plan.

‘I’ll tell the director that I’m taking a leave of absence from the Matap Institute for the time being, and I’m sure he’ll try to talk me out of it, but we’ll just have to get out of there.’

As Veronia was vowing to be more resolute in the future, a splendidly dressed nobleman and woman walked up beside them.

A voice sounded like a bird chirping.

“Oh my! I’ve only seen these in pictures as a child, but this is the first time I’ve seen one in person! This is what a cotton candy machine looks like! Please buy me one, Lord Killion!”

“Yes.”

Princess Espin asks excitedly, and Killion nods.

Veronia, startled by the name ‘Killion’, immediately turns her head and looks to the side.

It was indeed the Killion she knew.

‘I wonder what else… I’ll run into this today!’

The coincidence of meeting Killion here, in the middle of this vast, sprawling festival, in the middle of all these people, was just too much. It was so ridiculous that she almost laughed out loud.